Treaty

Treaty Process

The Treaty Process was designed to proceed by a series of Stages. Here is how it has progressed so far, and how it is expected to proceed in the coming months and years.

STAGE 1
March 1997: We filed our Statement of Intent with the BC Treaty Commission saying that we wanted to enter the negotiation process along with Canada and BC in a tri-partite negotiation process. To complete it we had to address four areas:

1) Identify who our Nation and Members are;

2) Describe our traditional territories;

3) Show that we had a mandate to enter into and represent our members in negotiations; and

4) Appoint a formal contact person

Milestone: At this time we signed a Protocol with Kwakiutl, Namgis, Gwa-'Sala-'Nakwaxda'xw, Tlatlasikwala and Quatsino to form the Winalagalis Treaty Group (WTG), with a purpose to work together on common issues.

STAGE 2
January 1998: All of the required documents were prepared by us in this Preparation for Negotiations stage to show that indeed we were ready to negotiate on behalf of the Da'naxda'xw and Awaetlala people toward reconciliation of our rights and title towards a treaty. To complete this stage we had to:

   1.) Achieve readiness and show our commitment to negotiate a treaty;

   2.) Prove that we had the authority of our people and the resources to commence negotiations;

   3.) show that we had a means to develop mandates through appointment of a Chief Negotiator; and

   4.)develop a broad outline of what each of us wanted to negotiate.

Milestones: Procedures Agreement; Openness Protocol; Contribution and Loans Agreements with the British Columbia Treaty Commission

STAGE 3
October 28, 2000: The Framework Agreement defines the issues that we have decided to negotiate, establishes our objectives for negotiating; identifies the procedures that will be followed as well as set out the timetable for negotiations.

Milestones: Framework Agreement; Letter of Agreement between the Chief Negotiators; Agreement to negotiate an individual Da'naxda'xw/Awaetlala Nation's Treaty

STAGE 4
Started December 2000: This is the Agreement in Principle stage where negotiations began on all the topics listed on the Framework Agreement, including forests, fish, land, self-government, financial components- all the parts that will form a treaty. We also work towards agreements called Interim Measures and Treaty Related Measures to provide for economic, social or protection measures while negotiations are carried out. This is the most intensive and lengthy stage of the six-stage negotiation process.

Milestones: Treaty Related Measure on Tourism; Forestry Interest Paper, Fish Interest Paper and; Culture, Language and Heritage Interest Paper

STAGE 5
Negotiation to Finalize a Treaty. At this stage outstanding legal and technical issues are resolved. Formal signing and ratification of the agreement brings the parties to Stage Six.

STAGE 6
Treaty Implementation. The plans to implement the treaty are put into effect or phased in as agreed.

    For more information contact
    William Wasden Sr.
    Tel: (250) 974-8108